Mistletoe Kisses
by NCCJFAN
Summary: Something to put you in a seasonal mood. And it's COMPLETE! Merry Christmas!
1. It's Over

**Chapter One**

It was over.

There was nothing left... nothing for him, anyway. Woody let out a shaky sigh and covered his face with his hands. There had been nothing left for him in Wisconsin. That's why he had left there in the first place. He couldn't have Annie...his parents were dead... and Cal was on his own now. So he had taken what savings he had, packed his car and headed for Boston.

And for a while Boston was home. He had good co-workers. He was good at his job. He had good friends. He thought at one time he had her, too. But Jordan had just insisted on pushing him away. She was afraid of commitment. She was afraid of love. Hence, in many ways, she was afraid of _him_. That was laughable...afraid of him...

Then came Devan. Sweet Devan. He hadn't loved her as he did Jordan....but he cared for her as a good friend...a best friend. Truth be known, he had been waiting to see if the friendship could develop into something else. But then came the airplane crash...and her too short life ended too abruptly for him to know.

So now...he was sitting in his apartment, with a few boxes scattered around...packing up what was left of his life. He had made a few calls to California....Sunny D. They were interested. They had flown him out for an interview. It had gone well. He was hired. Now all he had to do was box up his life once again and move. Move to start all over again. He sighed. It was not something he really wanted to do. But there was nothing left for him in Boston.

It was over.

* * *

The sun was warm on his back as he strolled down the boardwalk in LA. He had gotten packed up and moved....without anyone knowing. Well, nearly anyone. As luck would have it, he had run into Garret Macy at the hardware store before he had departed Boston for LA. The truth had come out. "Does Jordan know?" he had asked.

Woody admitted he had not told her. As a matter of fact, he hadn't seen her. He had taken the rest of his vacation time. He had planned to go by the Pogue and let her know. And he had stopped in a couple of times...but she wasn't there. She hadn't been at her apartment, either. Or at the morgue.

"No, she's taking some classes....she's going to be gone for a couple of weeks," Garret had told him.

Perfect. She would be gone when he left to drive out to LA. He could send her a postcard...or an e-mail. Or maybe a phone call. He just didn't want to face her face...or her eyes, when he told her.

He stopped by the railing and looked out over the ocean. The last time he had been here, he had been with her. And he swore he could still smell her perfume ... feel her by his side. He had come out to LA to forget his past, and her. So far it wasn't succeeding. He had been here three months. He still hadn't gotten up the nerve to phone her...or even send her an impersonal e-mail. He had talked to Lois Carver. Lois said Jordan had asked about him and had been shocked he had left Boston with no word to anyone.... "You need to call her, Woody," she had said. "She's hurt..."

Woody couldn't imagine why. Finally, getting up all his courage, he flipped open his cell phone and punched one on speed dial. "Hello," he heard her voice say. She sounded tired.

"Jo?" he said.

"Woody...."

"I thought I should give you a call....."

* * *

She was a little groggy. She had pulled a double at the morgue and then worked over. They were still short-staffed, having only replaced Peter with Sydney. They were still waiting on Devan's replacement.

She knew he had hurt when Devan died. She had tried to comfort him, but he wouldn't let her. He wouldn't let anyone. He had pushed her away as hard as she had pushed him away in the past. And in the end, she guessed it didn't matter. She wasn't enough to keep him in Boston.

But sometimes loses make you realize what you want. And as soon as she had gotten back from her refresher classes and Garret told her he was gone, she had nearly driven herself crazy worrying about him. She had been concerned about his state of mind before she left. He was fragile. She hadn't wanted to leave for her training...but there was no choice. Now she didn't know how to get in touch with him. Finally, after working with Lois Carver one afternoon, she had confided in the woman how much she missed him and how much it hurt to know he had left without talking to her. The least he could have done was left her a goodbye note.

He wasn't here......he was gone.....and he had left a large, gaping chasm in her life. And she wanted him to come back. She wanted him to come home.

So when he called that Saturday afternoon, his voice was as welcome as the warm sunshine in the spring. "Woody...." She hoped she kept the ache out of her voice....the hurt. He told what had happened. He interviewed. He was hired. He had moved quickly. He had to. And that he was sorry he hadn't told her goodbye...but things being what they were, he really didn't know if it mattered.

"I'm glad for you...I know the job's something you've always wanted....you'll be great at it, Woody. But .... I miss you, you know?"

"I miss you, too, Jordan. But we can talk...e-mail. Maybe you can come out here on your vacation." He said that, but he doubted it. Jordan hated LA. Bad memories.

"Or maybe you can come...home....back to Boston for Christmas?"

"No..." he had told her. He would never come back to Boston. If LA held bad memories for her, Boston held even more for him. He wouldn't come back now. He doubted he ever would.

"Then this is truly goodbye?" she asked, struggling to keep the tremor out of her voice...and her hands...she was shaking all over.

"I....I guess so," he replied, the realization of what he had thought he wanted running through him like electricity. It didn't seem so appealing now.

"Then...I'm sorry, Woody. So sorry.....I will miss you more than you'll ever know. Please, be careful with yourself. And keep in touch occasionally. I do care...." She was swallowing hard....fighting tears....

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, too." He knew what they were apologizing for...not trying to work things out between them. They both had run from the issue. "And I'll be careful. I care, too, Jordan. And if you ever need me, call me....and I'll stay in touch." He hung up, knowing it was a lie...they would probably not ever speak again.


	2. Christmas Parties

**Chapter Two**

"Merry Christmas, Jordan," said Lily, as she hung decorations on the morgue's Christmas tree.

"Merry Christmas, Lil."

"Are you ready for the party tonight?" It was the annual Christmas party for all the offices of Boston's law department.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Going with anyone?"

"Just myself."

"Jordan, that's not good. You need to get out more – date. You haven't since...since," Lily's voice faltered. Jordan hadn't been the same since Woody left. To most folks, she appeared normal. Working at the morgue....and the Pogue. Going to the gym. Out to dinner with friends...mainly her morgue co-workers. But there was no man in her life. And she showed no interest in finding one. "I guess maybe it's still too soon..." Lily continued, her voice trailing off.

"Yeah. But I'll be there tonight with bells on. Even bought a new dress." She had traditionally worn her red spaghetti strap dress with the slit up the side. The one she had worn in the bar during the S&M case....one of the first crimes she and Woody had worked on together. She wore it to drive him slightly crazy. And it was high effective.

But she couldn't bear to put it on. She had bough a new dress....it was hard to determine the color...it was taupe, but it could be a warm brown...it had a loose neckline, almost a cowl and fell to the floor. Its bodice was sprinkled with iridescent sequins. It was a simple dress, but it echoed the color of her eyes and hugged all of her curves. She bought it to make her feel better...even she knew she looked good in it, although she'd be hard pressed to tell you who she was trying to impress. No one was filling Woody's shoes or meeting his standard.

She had gotten ready that night, slowly pinning up her hair and doing her make up. She looked great....she knew she did. When she entered the country club, she heard them gasp. _I evidently clean up good_, she thought. She mingled. She danced. With Eddie Winslow, Garret, Bug, Nigel....She danced until nearly midnight, when finally she could not shake the feeling the walls were closing in on her. She got her coat from the cloak room and walked outside on the patio to look up at the stars...admire the fine Boston night.

They were beautiful, you know...the stars. Each one unique....bearing its own name. Bug had taught her many of them, using his telescope on the morgue roof. She smiled. He was a sweet man. She hoped he would find someone...or that Lily would realize how much Bug cared about her. She had never seen a man love a woman so much...or be so patient...except maybe Woody ....with her. She pulled her coat more closely around her and wondered if he was looking up at the same stars...if he even noticed the stars out there in California, with all the beautiful people and all the amazing things that were there. She wondered if he thought of her at all. They hadn't talked since he had called her nearly eight months before. They had exchanged a few e-mails right after he left....mainly about cases. She guessed he had moved on...probably found someone else already. He was a handsome man. He wouldn't be lacking for female company for long.

"Hey, you all right?" asked Garret, joining her on the patio.

Jordan smiled at her boss. "I'm fine. It was just getting a little stuffy in there. Aren't the starts beautiful tonight?"

Garret joined her in gazing up at the sky. "They are...simply beautiful." He looked at her for a moment, then put his arm around her. He knew she was still missing the detective...that her heart hadn't been the same since he left. He also knew that she wouldn't admit it openly. But he had noticed the little signs. His pictures remained in her office. She would come into work with his old Boston PD sweatshirt. She still had the winter jacket he had accidentally left in the morgue. She hadn't figured he'd need it in sunny California, so she had kept it. In more ways than one, she needed it more than he did. "Hey, what's say we blow this party and go the Pogue for a beer or two. I'll even dance with you...."

She smiled at Garret again. "Sounds great. I'm ready if you are." She had known all along he wouldn't come home...back to Boston...for Christmas. He had told her so.

* * *

Woody exited the club, dripping with sweat and worn out. Sunny D's Christmas party was different than the Boston PD's. No country club – a dance club. And he enjoyed dancing...but he had had enough. He was ready to go home, climb in the bed and sleep until New Year's. Cal was coming out with his new wife after Christmas. That should be fun.

Other than that, Woody had no plans. _Nothing,_ he thought, as he made his way to his convertible and got in. If this had been Boston, there'd be caroling...and the party at the Pogue...and the Christmas party at the country club with all the law enforcement agencies.

And she would have been there...in that red dress ... the length of her legs in full view. Damn. He missed that.

Hell. He missed her.

His mind drifted back to fond memories...dancing with her...catching her under the mistletoe....fixing her spiked eggnog with a little more "spike" than she was used to. Watching her get just a little too tipsy and fall asleep in his arms. Christmas. In Boston. He guessed there were a few good things to say about a New England winter.

He had settled in here, in LA. With the beautiful people. He even looked like one by now. Better haircut...tanned....even more muscularly ripped than he had been in Boston. A convertible. He looked successful. He was successful.

Only he didn't feel like it. For as well as he fit in with his new job and co-workers and as effective as he was...something was missing. He knew what it was. He missed her. He missed Jordan. After a few e-mails with her, he had stopped communication. He figured it was for the better. It would help her and him get over what they didn't have a lot faster. Or so he reckoned.

But tonight...with the holidays....he missed her more keenly than ever. Dejectedly, he found himself driving out to that boardwalk...the one they had walked down together so long ago, getting out of his car, and strolling down it...He came to the end, leaned against the railing and looked up at the stars. They were beautiful, you know. Each one was unique and special...like her. He had met many women since he had been out here. Dated quite a few. None could compare to her. No one had filled her shoes or lived up to her standards....of intelligence....intuition...or beauty.

She had probably moved on, you know...dating someone else....working. She had probably tucked his memories away, taking them out perhaps occasionally to remember the good times. He hoped those were many and the bad memories had faded away like the Boston snow when spring came. Boston...it used to be his home...he could still hear her voice...

_I don't know where home is anymore, Jordan_, he had told her over his cell phone.

_Home is right behind you_, she had replied.

And when he turned around, there she was....And she was right. She had been home. For the longest. Until she pushed him away for the last time. Until Devan. Until there was absolutely nothing left holding him in Boston and it ceased being his home.

He sighed and looked up at the stars again. He wondered if she saw them....if she even noticed.

He wondered if she thought of him at all.


	3. Happy Birthday

**Chapter Three**

Spring time in Boston. The winter had finally loosened its hold on the city and the flowers were blooming and the temperatures climbed their way out of double-digit negative numbers.

It was warm.

_Probably not as warm as it is in LA_, Jordan thought, _but it is nice_. They were at the park...an impromptu picnic ordered by Lily. It was far too nice to stay in the morgue on a Saturday, even if they were swamped. Picnic baskets had been ordered. Lunch had been eaten. And now football was being played.

"Come on, Jordan," called out Nigel. "Let's at least give it a try...what you say, love?" Jordan slowly got up from where she was sitting to join in the game. Of course the guys wanted to play tackle. Of course, they also wanted to play shirts and skins....which they couldn't do. So it had to be tackle, not touch, just to keep the guys happy. Jordan soon found herself on the receiving end of the ball and being brought to the ground by Nigel. They giggled and laughed and she let him plant a kiss on her lips. Nigel was nice. Nigel was sweet.

Nigel was also one of her best friends and she could only think of him as that – a friend. And he knew it. But bless him, he was trying to somewhat fill the void that was left in her life. She let him pull her up off the ground. "Want to try that again?" he asked, picking her up and twirling her around...easily taking in her slight weight.

"I don't know big guy....you may not be able to handle me this time," she replied.

Nigel looked down at her and grinned. He hoped she was having a good time. He hoped she was forgetting Woody. She had been far too quiet all winter...now it was spring. Maybe she would come out of her shell and realize that she was alive and have the guts to do something about it. Maybe even with him.

Maybe he'd paint himself blue and fly south next winter, too. Despite the fact that she was trying hard to hide it, Jordan's heart was still Woody's. Nigel wondered when she would reclaim it as her own...or if she would at all.

* * *

The California beaches were hot..._in more than one way, _Woody thought. He was sitting on a towel at the beach, watching the waves, watching the boats....and watching the girls. _The bikinis_ _get tinier every year_, he thought, nearly absent-mindedly looking at the girls beside him.

They were cute...pretty even. But not as beautiful as her. He had never seen her in a bikini. He didn't think he ever really seen her in a bathing suit. Her pajamas, yes....what there was of them....but that was about as much of her as he had seen. He had no doubt that underneath the jeans and long-sleeved shirts or scrubs she used to wear, her skin was like porcelain. But other than that red dress or an occasional low-cut shirt, he hadn't any chance to make a further observation. When they were in Vegas, she had even offered to go with him to the topless pool. At the time, he was too caught up in the casinos. He wished now he would have gone with her...that might have at least started something.

He wished a lot of things about her now.

He had dated enough of the "beautiful" people out here to know...that he had no idea shallowness could exist in so many different ways. He loved his job....he liked his co-workers....he loved some of the other things that LA offered....but as far as relationships go, he was frozen in time and the California sun could do nothing to thaw him out. He would be drawn to a leggy brunette with brown eyes and end up bitterly disappointed because she wasn't _her_.

So he had given up. Decided he would become nearly as shallow as they were just so he wouldn't have to sit home on the weekends. Just so he would have some company.

Just so he didn't have to spend too much time thinking about her. He thought that the more time passed, the easier her memory would become....but it hadn't. It hadn't grown fainter or smaller.....just more bittersweet. He could remember her perfume....her jokes...her compassion....her _realness_....the sweetness that clung to her soul. But in the next instant be filled with regret that he never did anything about it. Never told her exactly how he felt...never e-mailed her again, or phoned her...

Left Boston without at least a goodbye kiss to remember. They had kissed in the dessert nearly four years ago...but he hadn't tasted her lips very often since.

He sighed....and wondered what spring was like in Boston this year. He wondered if she was happy.

He knew he wasn't. Not really.

* * *

Apples and leaves and school starting back...all of these signaled fall for Woody. However, LA was different. It was still warm...there were oranges instead of apples....but school was back in session. He stared out the window of his office. He had been in LA over a year now.

He fit in well. Too well. Unless you just knew he was from Wisconsin, you'd swear he'd always lived in LA. He dressed like it. He had the look. And the car...and various girls that would help with the description...blonde...blue eyes. He had given up on brunettes...they broke his heart.

A year... a whole year without snow....without ice....without the Charles...without Eddie Winslow riding his butt....without being in an autopsy room...

But mostly without her. He had survived...but his heart wondered just how well. It still would lurch when he would run across a news story with a Boston dateline...or a stray picture of them in a photo album. He had meant to call...but lacked the courage. He should have e-mailed more...but didn't know what to say. _Hi this is Woody...wish you were here...miss you?_ Is that what he should say? He didn't know.

Sighing, he felt the need to make contact again for some reason. Was it to say, "Hey, look at me...I made it without you a year and I'm utterly and completely miserable?"

No. A thought struck him. Her birthday. This month was her birthday. He'd send flowers. No. Jordan wasn't really a flower person. And that might be too obvious. Besides, she may have found someone by now....a card. He rose from his desk and went down the street to the drug store...a card. At least a birthday card....he looked through every card until he found the right one. He wrote a note in it and signed it and mailed it on the way home from work. He didn't know if she was still on Pearle Street, so he sent it to the morgue. _Happy Birthday, Sweetheart_, he thought, as he dropped the card in the mailbox.

* * *

Jordan stopped by Emmie's desk on her way to her office. "Any messages?" she asked.

"A few, Dr. C. And you got some mail." Emmie handed her a stack of envelopes. Jordan thanked her, took the stack, and walked back to her office. She was tired. She had just finished testifying in court today. She began to wade through her messages and return calls. Then she attacked the mail. Advertisement. Bill. Bill. Newsletter. Card.

Card?

The handwriting was familiar. Her heart caught in her throat. It was Woody's. Not hardly daring to breathe she opened it up.

_Happy Birthday...._the card said on front.

On the inside, it read:

_May you find everything you're looking for,_

_Want everything you find,_

_And have happiness the rest of your life._

And he had written a note. Told her he was doing well at his job. California was nice...she could come out to visit. He'd make sure nothing bad happened to her this time. He had settled in...had new friends...but missed his old ones in Boston pretty badly.

He even said he missed her. Missed the trouble they used to get into...there was no one out here that would let him get into that much trouble and have that much fun doing it....Then he had said it again. _I miss you, Jo. So much. Love, Woody_.

She swallowed hard, fighting the tears in her eyes. She turned to her computer and sent an e-mail to him.

_Thanks for the card. It was the first birthday card I received this year. And I'm 35, not 36... Do the math right, Farm Boy. Maybe I can get out there this summer, if work allows. As usual, I'm covered over and due to budge cuts, we're not getting an additional ME. So we're all working hard. _

_Boston is beautiful this time of year, you know. And it would be nicer if you were here...I miss you, too. Very much. If you can make your way home, my apartment door is always open for you. Love, Jordan._


	4. Mistletoe Works in the Desert

**Chapter Four**

"Merry Christmas, Jordan," Garret said, giving her a brief hug in the hallway.

"Merry Christmas, to you, too," she replied. "Can you believe it's been a whole year already?"

"Yeah, I know. Time flies. How are you doing, Jo?"

"Fine."

"No. That's not what I mean...Woody...are you doing okay doing without him? Are you over him?"

Jordan sighed..."Do I think I could begin a relationship with someone? Something that may have permanence about it? No. Not yet. Woody will always have a place in my heart." The holidays were the hardest without him. During the regular times, she could keep busy. During the holidays, she'd have time off...time on her hands...and time to think about him...the void in her life....the ache in her heart.

"The reason I ask is that we got a call this morning from him."

"From Woody?"

"Yeah....They found a body out there....with ties to the Irish mob here. He was wanted in LA and Boston. Sunny D's letting us have a stab at the body first. He wants to know if you'd like to fly out and do the autopsy."

"When does my plane leave?"

Garret grinned. He had expected her to jump at the chance. "In three hours. Think you have time enough to go home and pack and get to the airport?"

"Hell, yeah."

* * *

Her flight had arrived. Woody kept looking for her in the sea of people that were crowding LAX during this holiday season....He had no idea there were so many brunettes in the whole world. He wanted to get her and get back to their morgue...let her do her thing in autopsy....and then see if she would still be interested in spending some time with him. After he had gotten her e-mail a few days ago, he had wondered what to do...should he plan to go to Boston for Christmas...call her...then a body found in an alley provided his answer. It had a Massachusetts driver's license and a Boston address. He ran a few computer searches and hit pay dirt. He had told his boss he would be perfect to over see this, due to his ties in Boston. His chief had concurred and he was handed over the case on a silver platter. The first thing he had done was call Dr. Macy and request her.

Finally, he caught sight of her...her hair was a little longer...she was maybe a little thinner, but damn, those eyes were still the same. "Jordan," he called out.

She thought she heard him call her name above the crowd. She had left Boston in such a hurry she hadn't thought to call Garret and find out who was meeting her. After he had handed her the ticket confirmation, she had gone home, packed, changed into nicer clothes, and sped the airport. She heard her name again, but was having trouble locating the source. Then suddenly, there he was, in front of her. Still just as tall...but his hair had been highlighted by the sun....he was tanned...and it seemed his shoulders were broader. But his eyes.....oh God...those eyes....were still just as blue. "Woody," she managed to get out before he hugged her tight.

She clung to him, relishing once again, his nearness....the feeling of being in his arms just a few seconds. His cologne. All the dozens of things she had taken for granted when he lived in Boston, she was now soaking up like a sponge as he held her and gently swung her around. "Let me look at you," he said at last, releasing slowly.

She was still as petite as ever...and in that black pin-striped pantsuit and heels, she looked like a runway model...to him anyway. Her make up was different. But her hair was still thankfully wavy, and partially pulled back from her face. "Jo...you look good."

"You don't look too shabby yourself, Farm Boy," she replied. And he laughed. No one had called him Farm Boy since he moved out to LA.

"Ready to go to my morgue?"

"Oh..._your_ morgue?"

Woody grinned and went with her to retrieve what little luggage she had. He put it in his car and they drove to the LA county morgue. He waited in autopsy until she had changed into scrubs. When she emerged from the locker room, she looked more like the Jordan he remembered....all business. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun...her scrubs were riding low on her hips. "Okay, where is he?"

Woody put her through what they knew about the guy and introduced her to one of the ME's there that had started the initial trace work. From there on out, Woody just sat back and watched. In many ways, it was like old times....when she was finally satisfied with trace, she and the other ME agreed to meet the next day to do the autopsy. Woody smiled to himself with satisfaction. She'd be here at least a few more days.

It was still early in the day, and Woody knew he needed to get to his office and finish telling her what he knew about this guy...so he could get on to other things with her. After she had changed back into her suit, he asked her if she would mind going to his office with him for a little while. She grinned at him. "Sounds interesting....but remember, me and these guys didn't play well together when I lived out here before..."

"That was a long time ago Jordan... I'm sure no one remembers."

Jordan gave him smirk and allowed him to take her hand and lead her out to his car. A few minutes later, they entered his office building and he was immediately acutely aware of the other men's stares. He pulled her a little closer to him until he heard a voice from behind them. "It can't be...you're the ME from Boston? I swear, I thought we had gotten rid of you." It was Woody's chief, Peter Brannigan.

"No such luck, Brannigan. I told you I'd be back," Jordan chuckled. The three made small talk for a few minutes, until Jordan excused herself to go to the lady's room. Peter turned to Woody and said, "So that's who you've been moping over for the past year?"

Woody nodded. "Yeah."

"Don't blame you, Hoyt. She's turned into a beautiful woman and an excellent ME. Tell her what you know...and take the rest of the afternoon off and enjoy her."

Couldn't have worked out better if he had planned it. He corralled Jordan into his office after she emerged from the restroom and they went over the case piece by piece until he had told her everything he knew.

They were sitting on the couch in his office, so close their knees were nearly touching. When he had finally answered all her questions and told her all, he had reached out and gently pushed a curl behind her ear. "That's it, Jo. That's all I know right now."

"I guess we'll know more tomorrow after the autopsy."

"Yeah."

"Well....I guess...I guess I need to ask you to take me to my hotel...."

"Um, Jordan, I was kind of hoping you'd like to stay with me...I have a spare bedroom...and I've missed you...I'd like to spend as much time with you as I could..."

"Woody, that's an awful lot of trouble..."

"No...I'd really like for you to stay with me...if you would."

Jordan swallowed hard. What should she do? Her head said hotel, her heart said Woody's apartment. For once she let her heart win out....besides, she didn't know when she'd see him again.

"Okay. Your apartment it is."

He took her home and she changed into jeans and a t-shirt. She came into the kitchen to find him packing a picnic basket. "What's up with that?" she asked.

"Well....I know it's not summer, but this is LA and the weather is warm...even if Christmas is less than two weeks away. I thought we'd go somewhere quiet, with a bottle of wine, and have a picnic. Now that's a Christmas memory that will always be original."

* * *

Less than a half an hour later, they were on their way. "Where are we going to?" she asked. Woody had the top down and the wind was blowing her hair all over the place.

"It's a secret," he shouted above the noise of the engine and wind. "Just be patient."

So Jordan sat quietly and wondered...as they passed park after park....until finally he turned off the highway onto a back desert road....and just kept going. "You got plenty of gas?" she asked. She hadn't seen a gas station for miles.

"Don't worry about it..." and he kept on driving. Finally pulled over and parked the car. "Know where we're at?" he asked as he reached for the picnic basket in the back seat. It was getting dark...

"No..wait...yes...oh my God." It was where her car had broken down so many years ago....when Woody took a bug spray nap....when they had kissed for the first time....Jordan felt butterflies in her tummy.

"I thought you may remember...."

"That was forever ago," she said, helping him spread out the blanket. She sat the food out and he began to build a fire...it was getting darker, and chilly. The fire made things cozy...and before Jordan knew it, they were talking like old times....like nothing had ever happened...he had never left. In one way, the ache in her heart got a little easier, but she knew in a few brief days, she would have to go back to Boston, and leave him here. She deliberately pushed that thought out of her mind...she was going with her heart for the next couple of days....They ate. He asked about Nigel...Bug...Lily...and Garret. She got him caught up.

"Now, Jordan, how are you?" he had asked.

"I'm okay..."

"You're working hard."

"Don't we all?"

"Did you mean what you said about missing me in your e-mail the other day?" he asked, suddenly avoiding her eyes.

_Well, it was definitely, you-show-me-yours-I'll-show-you-mind time,_ she thought. "Yes...I did. Did you?"

He nodded, sitting a little closer to her. "Do you remember how after I told you about some of my life in Wisconsin...you kissed me?"

Jordan hadn't forgotten...for years it had replayed in her mind why she did it...and then lately it had been why didn't she do it again ... and more often. "Yeah, I do..."she replied softly.

"You know Jordan, it's Christmas...can you believe it?"

Jordan was struggling to follow him. He had gone from one subject to a random thought. "It has come around quick." Maybe he was getting shy this time...

"Yeah, it's Christmas...." He suddenly scooted over a little closer to her...but it was dark and she couldn't see exactly what he was doing...

"And you owe me a kiss...." he said.

"A kiss?"

"Yeah. A kiss. It's Christmas." Woody looked up and Jordan's eyes followed his. He was holding a piece of mistletoe over her head. "So...are you going to pucker up without a fight....or am I going to have to hold you down and get it....because either way, I'm getting a kiss." He wagged his eyebrows at her.

Jordan laughed and shook her head at him...A Christmas tradition. He'd hide mistletoe all over the morgue to see if he could catch her and get a kiss...but that was before everything...before Devan...and him pushing her away.

But that's part of the reason she was here....maybe....to see how much of their past she could recapture....or if it was too late. She grinned. "Okay...seeing as how you went to so much here and get your kiss."

She leaned forward, expecting him to kiss her. "No..this isn't quite right, he said...He sat back against the car and pulled her over against him ...and lowered his head.

The year of not being near him had numbed her senses to such an onslaught. He softly kissed her...a kiss reminiscent of the few they had shared while he was in Boston...it was the kiss of two young lovers...a cold night, under the Boston stars...sweet and laced with innocence.

And Woody had meant to keep it that way....he didn't know how she would react and they still had a few days together...he didn't want to scare her off and she leave LA in a huff...and not want to see him again. So he kept it light, their lips barely touching....

Jordan could have screamed of frustration. He wouldn't let her pull him down for a deeper kiss....he was just barely kissing her....not satisfying at all to a woman who had missed him so much.... "Woody?' she had asked, when he finally raised his head. To his delight, he could read the frustration on her face.

"What Jordan?"

"That is not a kiss...."

He smiled against her lips. "It's not?"

"No. No, damn it. Kiss me like you missed me...you said you did."

And he did...again and again. Hardly letting her pull away to breathe...kissing her more deeply every time, until at last, gently cradling her, he lowered her onto the picnic blanket, kissing her neck, that spot behind her ear that made her knees go weak....sliding his thigh and knee between her legs.

Jordan kissed him back with all the longing she had kept bottled up for the past year and a half...from the time he had began pushing her away until tonight...under the California stars....with a soft breeze blowing....She held him, running her fingers through his hair, sliding her hands down the front of his shirt and feeling his muscles bunch in reaction to her light touch, pressing a trail of kisses along his collarbone. Her head had stopped thinking, and all she was doing for once in her life was _feeling_. And reacting to the way he made her feel.

"Jordan, sweetheart..." she heard him whisper in her ear... "Do we need to put the brakes on now?" He had pulled away long enough to look at her eyes in the light of the fading fire.

"No.."

"You're sure?"

She gently guided his hands to the buttons on her shirt and nodded. "Yes."

It seemed right it should happen there...in that place in the desert where they both had really recognized their feelings. Woody had been the wiser of the two. At least he had admitted it to himself...and her. She was the one who had ran from it...from his affection...from the promise he held of love...because it had been a scary proposition for her to trust another man in her life with her heart and her body....

But she wasn't afraid right now. And every soft gasp or low moan she gave only seemed to encourage him to push her just a little harder...raise the stakes a little higher....until she simply clung to him as he held her. Finally, he pulled the top blanket over both of them and they just laid there for a while....looking up at the stars....He chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she asked, rolling over so she was lying on top of him.

"You know, if you would have given in three years ago and admitted you loved me here then....just think of the time we've wasted."

She started to make a joke...but stopped when she saw his eyes. "I know Woody. All I can say is I'm sorry, and that I was scared...of love...of being in love with you. Of being in love with anyone. I always seemed to lose anyone I really loved. I didn't want to lose you, too."

"So what makes it different now?"

"You. I know love is about taking risks....and your worth the risk, Woodrow Wilson Hoyt."

His heart lurched again. She thought he was worth the risk...a risk she seemed willing to take. "When did you realize this?" he asked, gently twining her curls around his fingers.

"Right before Devan came...I wanted to tell you, but....I guess life just seemed to get in the way....then you and she...I mean...if you were happy, I didn't want to mess that up. And afterwards, you pushed me away...you pushed everyone away."

"Jordan, Devan and I were friends. Just friends...she knew how I felt about you...but she was also there to listen to me....you were very busy...I know that's no excuse...I know your dad left you the bar to tend to...and you had your job. Peter had left, you folks were still training Devan....You were preoccupied. I felt I was just another burden for you."

"You're not a burden, Woody. You've never been...now me, on the other hand..."

Woody silenced her with a kiss. "No...you were never a burden. A challenge sometimes, yes. But mainly, you were just...well...lost in so many ways...I just wanted to help you find your way out of the cloud you kept walking around in...your mom's death...Max...James...but it seemed I just kept screwing it up."

"No...you didn't. I don't know what I would have done without you, Woody. I'm not doing too well now."

He silenced her with another kiss..."Just don't think about that right now...Right now it's just us....the stars....and the mistletoe...."


	5. Home is Where You Hang Your Heart

**Chapter Five**

She had originally only planned to stay four days at the most in LA. She ended up staying a week. She called Garret at the end of the second day and said things were taking just a little longer than she expected...did he mind?

"What things? The body or Woody?" he asked.

Jordan was honest. "Woody..." she replied. He gave her the extra time...no questions asked. So for a week, they had talked...worked on the case....made up...made love. When it came time for Woody to put her on the flight out to Boston on Monday, Jordan didn't know what to do or how to feel. They had made love that morning with the intensity knowing that after she flew back home, they really didn't know when they'd see each other. Or if life would get in the way and they wouldn't see each other again at all.

They had showered and she had slowly gotten dressed and packed her few remaining items. Woody had just as reluctantly drove her to the airport. He lingered until they called her flight. Then he had taken her face in his hands, looked deeply in her eyes, and kissed her one last time...hungrily...greedily...as if committing everything to memory. "Goodbye, Jordan. Be careful....I'm missing you already....I'll be in touch soon. Have a great Christmas, sweetheart." He had tucked her curls behind her ear, ran a finger down her cheek, turned her around, and gave her a gentle push toward the plane. "Go now while I can still let you. If you don't, Macy will have me up for kidnapping."

So now she was returning to work...to her schedule...to her old life, without him once again. She wasn't sure what she was expecting....but she knew he wouldn't return to Boston...She sighed and locked herself in her office, checking her e-mail before going to autopsy. She had called him last night to let him know she had gotten in safely. They had talked for nearly an hour. That only made it more difficult to sleep that night. She had gotten used to being held...she had never made it to Woody's guest room.

She gazed at her computer screen...nothing really important...nothing that couldn't wait. She clicked out of her e-mail and went to work.

* * *

He really didn't feel like going into the office yet...so he drove back to his apartment...he found himself in his now empty bedroom, sitting on her side of the bed...clutching her pillow...it still smelled of her shampoo. He had stood and watched her plane fly away from LA. Her stay here was over....she was going home.

Home. What was it really? A place of memories of the past? A thread, a connection to warm memories....people you love....people that love you. _Was it somewhere merely to hang your hat, or was it really people that you felt safe enough around to hang your heart? _Woody wondered. If that was really the case, then Wisconsin was truly no longer home. There was no one left there that he loved, or that loved him. And LA wasn't home, either. He didn't feel safe enough around anyone here to open his heart to. A string of girls and a challenging job didn't make it home...

He looked around his barren apartment...devoid of Christmas decorations. Not even a semblance of a tree...no lights, no candles. You'd never know it was the holiday season. Back in Boston, there would be Christmas trees, candles, eggnog...and her. If home was truly where you could open your heart to someone and feel safe, then she was home. Without thinking about it, Jordan had given him the best Christmas gift ever. She had pointed him home. And if she was home, what the hell was he still doing here? With a determined grin, he picked up the phone......

"Hello...Garret? This is Woody...."

* * *

Jordan hummed to herself as she came in the back door of the Pogue. "Merry Christmas, Dad," she called out to her father, who was standing behind the bar.

"Merry Christmas, Jordan, "Max replied with his thick Boston accent. "How are you, honey? Ready for Christmas?"

"Yeah...I think so. It's five days away...I'm about as ready as I'm going to be."

"Finished your shopping?"

"Except for a few small things..." she took a seat at the bar.

"I thought you were going to help tonight?"

"I am...just taking a load off for a few minutes," she replied, her eyes lowering to the beer her dad had just sat in front of her. Christmas...how quickly it had rolled around again. "Looks like you're all decorated out," she commented, noting the lights, evergreens, and the tree.

"Yeah... I think we did a pretty good job. Everyone still coming over after work?" Max asked. Jordan had been in LA during the big Christmas party with all the law enforcement offices. This was going to be a much smaller gathering....just the folks from the morgue.

"Sure. I'd better get busy...I'll help you set up."

So for the next hour, Jordan helped her dad get the bar ready for the morgue employees. They began to arrive a little after six...Garret, Bug and Lily, Nigel... Sydney... Emmie....all the others. Jordan stayed busy....filling the mugs, mixing drinks. There was joking and singing and dancing. The crowd began to wind down a little past midnight.

"One dance, love?" Nigel asked. "You've stayed behind that bar all night...Just one dance with me before I have to go?"

Jordan smiled at her friend. It was true she had hid behind the bar all night. Truth was, she didn't feel much like a party...she didn't feel much of anything except that ache in her heart that she knew was going to hit her after she left Woody in LA. He hadn't called again, nor responded to her e-mail...she wasn't sure what that meant...she knew he was busy catching up on work he had missed while she was out there. She was sure he'd call in a couple of days. "Sure," she replied to Nigel, stripping off her apron and throwing her dishtowel on the bar.

It was a slow song...one like she would have liked to dance with Woody. Not that she didn't like Nige...she closed her eyes and let him steer her across the floor. "You alright, love?" he asked, feeling her shoulders slump and her head rest against his chest.

He felt her nod. "I'm just a little tired, I guess...."

"And you miss Woody just a little bit."

She nodded. The lump in her throat was getting harder to swallow. She felt him steer her away off the dance floor....towards the back of the bar. "Where are you taking me?" she asked him, her eyes snapping open.

"I think someone else wants this dance," he replied.

Jordan felt a pair of hands gently circle her waist and turn her around. She found herself gazing up into a pair of familiar blue eyes..."Woody?" She hardly dared believe it.

He chuckled at the surprise on her face and wished he had a camera.

"How long have you been here?" she managed to get out, setting aside her astonishment.

"Only about an hour or so. Had to clear up some things in LA before I flew out."

She nodded...not really believing he was here, taking him in...wondering when she was going to wake up and find this all a dream. The sudden clearing of throats brought her to her senses. She looked around to find everyone looking at them. "What?" she asked.

Nigel pointed one long, boney finger upwards. He had deposited her in Woody's arms beneath Max's sprig of mistletoe. "Kiss..." Nigel commanded.

"Yeah, kiss," echoed Max.

Soon the small crowd took up the chant..."Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss..."

Woody held her eyes for a moment before he claimed her lips....and did, to everyone's delight and amusement, thoroughly kiss her in front of all of them. Not that she minded very much.

When he finally released her, she was a little unsteady on her feet. He pulled her close and hugged her. Finally Garret came to the young couple's rescue. He cleared his throat and said, "Gee...look at the time. I need to go..." And they all followed suite. Woody and Jordan were the last to leave, taking advantage of the quiet to dance one slow dance before Max closed.

"Do you mind if I skip helping you close?" Jordan asked.

"Go. Both of you. I'll see you tomorrow." Woody felt Max slip something in his coat pocket.

"Can I stay with you?" Woody asked, as they made their way out into the cold Boston night.

"Sure, but I don't have a guest bedroom."

"I think I could handle sharing your bed..."

She grinned up at him..."I think I could get used to it..."

* * *

Later that evening, Woody held her snuggled up close to his side. "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart," he murmured in her ear.

"It's merry now....you're here...but whatever possessed you to come back to Boston? You said you'd never be back....I didn't think..."

"Why did I come back? It's home."

"But you said, when you left....that it wasn't....not anymore and it couldn't be again...what happened?"

"Your Christmas gift..."

"Mine? But I haven't given it to you yet..."

"Yes you have, whether you know it or not. When I watched your plane fly out of LAX, I realized something. Home is not necessarily a place...it's not a place to live and spend your time. Home is people...people that you love and that love you. It's more than a place to hang your hat...it's a place to hang your heart....open it up...knowing it's safe to do that. Wisconsin isn't that way for me...neither is LA. But Boston is. And you are...safe. Without even knowing it, Jordan, you pointed me home. You told me one time home was right behind me, and you were right. It is. Here. With you." He gently kissed the top of her head.

"I did all that?"

He smiled, gently lifting her chin, so he could look in her eyes. "Yeah...you did. And I have something for you."

He sat up and reached for his pants. He pulled something out of the back pocket and handed it to her. She took the flat package and flipped it open. Inside was his Boston PD badge. "I got my old job back, Jo. I'm coming home...back to Boston."

She felt the tears well up in her eyes. "That means..."

"Homicide, finding a new apartment, and lots of Chinese delivery, if I remember correctly."

"It's good to have you home, Farm Boy." She sighed with contentment and looked at the badge again, tracing it with one of her fingers....she never dreamed....

Woody pulled the badge from her hands..."You can look at that later. Your dad gave me something tonight we need to deal with right now."

Jordan looked puzzled for a minute until Woody shook something above her head. It was the mistletoe from the bar.... "Kiss..." he said, before lowering his head to hers.

"Kiss...mistletoe kisses," she murmured against his lips.

"Hmmm. Mistletoe kisses...in California deserts or in Boston ... are wonderful Christmas traditions,' he replied, reflecting for a moment how he had once considered that his life here was over...and now it was where he had a new beginning. After everything that had happened...and all this time, it took mistletoe kisses and her to help him really know where home was.


End file.
